So I just sort of realized that as I’ve been putting this blog together I’ve neglected to include any sort of introduction to lasik. I’m not a medical professional, so I mostly just planned on sharing my experience, but I did do a lot of research into lasik before I decided to commit to the surgery. I found my initial notes which I’m going to clean up a little and transcribe into this blog post. Use them as background for further research on your own and talk to your doctor if you’re thinking about lasik.
Lasik (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) surgery is a type of laser eye surgery often performed for correcting astigmatism, nearsightedness and farsightedness. The Lasik procedure consists of using a precision laser to remove tissue and reshape the cornea which changes its focusing powers.
Lasik surgery is not considered medically necessary. As such, most insurance companies will not cover it. So why would anyone elect to have lasik surgery if it’s not deemed necessary and the individual has to pay for it? The appeal of lasik is its potential to correct common vision problems. Contact lenses and eyeglasses merely compensate for the shortcomings of one’s eyes. For example, a farsighted person who is able to see objects at a distance but has trouble focusing on objects that are nearer may wear glasses for reading. Lasik surgery could potentially end such a person’s reliance on reading glasses.
Be aware that prices are usually quoted per eye. Expect to pay between $1500 and $2500 per eye. You may see some very low prices advertised, but there are always conditions that need to be met in order to get that low advertiesed price. In practice very few people actually pay the lowest advertised price.
Lasik surgery itself is not a particularly lengthy or painful procedure. The surgery is performed while the patient is awake and takes roughly fifteen minutes per eye. You’ll want to have someone available to escort you home once the surgery is complete.
So that’s most of what I wrote down the first day I started looking into lasik. What is it, how much does it cost and does it hurt. You’ll need much more than that as did I so talk to your doctor.